YOGA SUTRA 2.3: There are five kinds of coloring (kleshas): 1)
forgetting, or ignorance about the true nature of things (avidya), 2)
I-ness, individuality, or egoism (asmita), 3) attachment or addiction
to mental impressions or objects (raga), 4) aversion to thought
patterns or objects (dvesha), and 5) love of these as being life
itself, as well as fear of their loss as being death.
(avidya asmita raga dvesha abhinivesha pancha klesha)

A MOST IMPORTANT PRACTICE IN YOGA: Cultivating self-awareness of the
five kleshas is one of the most important foundation practices in the
entire science of Yoga. Note that in Chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutra, the
first four sutras describe or define Yoga, and that the very next
sutra (1.5) introduces the concept of the many levels of thought
patterns being either klishta (colored) or aklishta (uncolored). Now,
in this current sutra (and Kriya Yoga in general), the concept is
expanded, describing the nature of the five individual kleshas. In
Kriya Yoga, the gross level of coloring is dealt with (2.1), while
the next few sutras begin the process of dealing with the subtler
colorings (2.10-2.11, 2.12-2.25). It works in stages, first reducing
the gross, and then the subtle. To be aware of the practice of self-
awareness or witnessing of the kleshas of our own mind is a very
useful thing to do.

THE FIVE KLESHAS: Each of the five kleshas are described separately
in the forthcoming sutras:

FOUR STAGES OF KLESHAS: The five colorings (klishta) of individual
deep thought patterns are in one of four states. These are described
in the next sutra (2.4), as part of introducing specifics about the
nature of the five kleshas themselves.

ALLOW STREAMS OF INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS TO FLOW: One of the best ways to
get a good understanding of witnessing the kleshas (colorings) is to
sit quietly and intentionally allow streams of individual thoughts to
arise. This doesn't mean thinking or worrying. It literally is an
experiment in which you intentionally let an image come. It is
easiest to do with what seem to be insignificant impressions.

For example, imagine a fruit, and notice what comes to mind. An apple
may come to mind, and you simply note "Attraction" if you like it, or
are drawn to it. It may not be a strong coloring, but maybe you
notice there is some coloring. You may think of a pear, and note that
there is an ever so slight "aversion" because you do not like pears.

EXPERIMENT WITH COLORINGS: Allow lots of such to images come. One of
the things I have done often with people is to grab about 10-15 small
stones in my hand, and ask a person to pick one they like. Then I ask
them to pick one they are less drawn to (few people will say
they "dislike" one of the stones). It is a very simple experiment
that demonstrates the way in which attractions and aversions are
born. It is easier at first to experiment with witnessing thoughts
for which there is only slight coloring, only a small amount of
attraction or aversion.

You can easily run such experiments with many objects arising into
the field of mind from the unconscious. You can also easily do this
by observing the world around you. Notice the countless ways in which
your attention is drawn to this or that object or person, but gently
or strongly turns away from other objects or people.

Though it is a bit harder to do, notice the countless objects you
pass by everyday for which there is no response whatsoever. These are
examples of neutral impressions in the mind field.

GRADUALLY WITNESS STRONGER COLORINGS: By observing in this way, it is
easier to gradually witness stronger attractions and aversions in a
similar way. When we can begin the process of witnessing the type of
coloring, then we can start the process of attenuating the coloring,
which is discussed in the next section.